Can’t Afford an Executive? Hire One Part Time.

Fractional executives — part-time, senior-level leaders who split their time among multiple organizations — have been employed in the tech startup world for years. Now charities and foundations are embracing the model to fill critical gaps in finance, technology, fundraising, marketing, and operations.

The appeal is straightforward: Hiring a C-suite executive on a fractional basis enables you to bring on an experienced leader for a set number of hours a week, capping your organization’s expenses. A full-time CFO or chief technology officer at a nonprofit can easily earn six figures in salary and benefits, but a fractional executive doing the same work on a limited schedule might cost a third of that or less.

The popularity of this form of staffing reflects a trend that has grown in the sector over the past year, particularly among small and midsize groups that have long struggled to compete for top talent. Some nonprofits are hiring fractional decision-makers directly, but search firms that specialize in sourcing them have also started to emerge.

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By M.J. Prest
Senior Editor, Solutions